Microbiologist Uses Viruses to Fight Bacteria

After a decade of research, ContraFect Corporation, a small biotech company based in Yonkers, N.Y., is preparing to test bacteriophages—viruses that infect and destroy bacteria—in people as a potential alternative to overused antibiotics for treating and preventing bacterial infections. The first trials for patient safety are expected to start by the end of the year and will provide valuable insight into whether this approach, first discovered about a century ago, can be effective.